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From onboard Rotterdam

garydm

By garydm,
in Holland America Line

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garydm

garydm

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Departed San Diego yesterday for 16 day Panama Canal cruise.  After reading some reviews we were a bit concerned but the ship is in great shape.  We are in a Neptune Suite and all the furniture including that on the large veranda seems new as well as the carpet.  Concierges are wonderful and very helpful.  Our cabin stewards Jeni and Mark are on top of things and very personable.  Dinner in MDR last night with great service.  Menu not as exciting as in the past but the food was good.  Had breakfast in Pinnacle and all was perfect.  My wife did the gym which was very clean and equipped with state of the art equipment.

 

Only negative was the muster drill.  Told to be there at 3:30 but it did not start until 4 pm.  It was very hot (I know, poor us) in the blazing son for 30 minutes with nothing going on.

 

Gary

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

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Enjoy your cruise 🙂 

 

Sounds like you are off to a great start.  We had good service on our last Rotterdam cruise and it sounds like things are heading in that direction for you.

 

We really enjoyed the ship and we hope you do as well 😄 

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TAD2005

TAD2005

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6 hours ago, garydm said:

Departed San Diego yesterday for 16 day Panama Canal cruise.  After reading some reviews we were a bit concerned but the ship is in great shape.  We are in a Neptune Suite and all the furniture including that on the large veranda seems new as well as the carpet.  Concierges are wonderful and very helpful.  Our cabin stewards Jeni and Mark are on top of things and very personable.  Dinner in MDR last night with great service.  Menu not as exciting as in the past but the food was good.  Had breakfast in Pinnacle and all was perfect.  My wife did the gym which was very clean and equipped with state of the art equipment.

 

Only negative was the muster drill.  Told to be there at 3:30 but it did not start until 4 pm.  It was very hot (I know, poor us) in the blazing son for 30 minutes with nothing going on.

 

Gary

One thing we really enjoyed on the Rotterdam in 2016 was the trio or quartet in the Ocean Bar every evening around 7 PM.   Some brave souls were dancing, but we just enjoyed the music.  Some times there was a vocalist, other time just a 4 piece band, piano, drums, bass and guitar.   Is that still there every evening ?   

Also, how is the newly installed Billboard Onboard ?   We're on the Rotterdam this October 3rd for 29 days.

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

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1 minute ago, TAD2005 said:

One thing we really enjoyed on the Rotterdam in 2016 was the trio or quartet in the Ocean Bar every evening around 7 PM.   Some brave souls were dancing, but we just enjoyed the music.  Some times there was a vocalist, other time just a 4 piece band, piano, drums, bass and guitar.   Is that still there every evening ?   

Also, how is the newly installed Billboard Onboard ?   We're on the Rotterdam this October 3rd for 29 days.

 

When we were on a bit later it was the Adagio - a duo.  

 

They were very good though.  And while others don’t like the retreat because of the lack of a sea view pool the service there took me back to the “old days”.  Something I only saw on the Prinsendam.  (Blanket dropped around your shoulders when it cooled, special water with a watermelon or other fruit fusion, coffee brought to you with hot chocolate in it - ALL UNASKED for).  We truly had a great time on the ship but it was before Billboard and enjoyed Stryker at the piano.

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zelker

zelker

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We'll be embarking for the FLL-SAN itinerary in later February, also in a NS.  Good to hear yours is looking good.  Assume they still haven't installed the large, interactive flat screen tv on the wall though, right?  Also, curious which suite # you're in.  And who are the Neptune Lounge concierges?

 

Thanks!  Enjoy!  🙂 

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garydm

garydm

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Dinner menu had some great options tonight.  I had prime rib and it was very good.  
 

Tried Dive in for lunch but after waiting 10 minutes cancelled and got the fish and chips from the Lido and it was the right decision.

 

Booked the Beach Resort excursion in PV and understand it is to a Hyatt hotel.  Anyone done this one?

 

gary

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zelker

zelker

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8 hours ago, garydm said:

Cathy Lagorta and Paula Gutierrez are the concierges.

 

Zelker-which suite do you have booked?

 

gary

 

Hi, Gary - thx for the names, don't know either one. 

 

We've got 7038 on hold - haven't ever stayed that far aft but didn't like the other available suite locations either.  Need to decide today whether we're doing the cruise or not (we did it on the Volendam in December 2018 so not really a big deal if we go this time, other than to get away from winter for a few weeks).  

 

Guess they aren't going to be installing the flat screen tv's on the smaller ships like the Rotterdam.  Oh well.  

 

Barb

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garydm

garydm

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Z-we are near the Neptune so a bit forward from your cabin.  Last night we had serious vibration which I assume is speed related as we had none the first night.  I’ll walk back and see if it is present after sun up.

 

We do have a large flat screen in the cabin.  Cable news is Fox and MSNBC.

 

Gary

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zelker

zelker

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2 hours ago, garydm said:

Z-we are near the Neptune so a bit forward from your cabin.  Last night we had serious vibration which I assume is speed related as we had none the first night.  I’ll walk back and see if it is present after sun up.

 

We do have a large flat screen in the cabin.  Cable news is Fox and MSNBC.

 

Gary

 

Sorry to hear you experienced serious vibration last night.  I know that stretch between southern CA and Baja can get a bit rough so maybe that was contributing to it?  We were in 7025 this summer on the Amsterdam (same location as it is on the Rottie) - great location and under Canaletto so minimal noise from above.  Would have loved to get that one or 7023 but they were already gone.

 

Is your tv on the wall or still on the long counter nearest the door/window to the verandah?

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